ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGYsherreenbahr.weebly.com/.../6/1/95611990/bahr._sherreen_swot_anal… · Web viewITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology

ITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology Planning Needs Assessment What is the current reality in our school?

Name: Sherreen Bahr Semester: Fall 2017

ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: Effective Instructional Uses of Technology Embedded in Standards-Based,Student-Centered Learning

ISTE Definition: Use of information and communication technology (ICT) to facilitate engaging approaches to learning.Guiding Questions:

How is technology being used in our school? How frequently is it being used? By whom? For what purposes? To what extent is student technology use targeted toward student achievement of the Georgia Learning Standards (GPSs,

CCSs)? To what extent is student technology use aligned to research-based, best practices that are most likely to support student

engagement, deep understanding of content, and transfer of knowledge? Is day-to-day instruction aligned to research-based best practices?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities ThreatsTeachers use technology for formal and summative assessments which drives their instruction.

Technology is used every day in the classrooms through the Promethean Boards.

Technology is used to broadcast the morning news through Cobb E-News.

Students utilize technology to reinforce standards through web-based programs (Front Row Math and Language Arts).

Administrators use technology through their digital

Classroom desktops are broken and not repaired within a reasonable amount of time.

The ISTE essential standards are not merged with teachers’ technology use.

Not very many teachers are familiar with ISTE standards and the essential conditions

Computer lab has more hours of empty seats than filled.

Laptops in the traveling cart are broken and not being repaired in a timely manner.

Research based best practices are not being used by the

The TTIS is scheduled to be at our school one day every week to provide teachers support for integrating technology.

Professional development is available to the staff on early release days with trainings on web 2.0 tools.

The TTIS trains the staff during planning periods on accessing scores from touchstones &milestone assessments from the CTLS portal every quarter.

A STEM professional Learning committee has been developed to promote effective research based best practices

Time restraints prevent teachers from implementing new technology in their classrooms.

Teachers feel overwhelmed with the many web-tools available and the lack of knowledge for using them.

Lack of motivation for teachers to try new technology with their students. They are comfortable with the traditional ways of teaching.


newsletters every week to keep teachers informed of current events and governing issues.

The media center utilizes technology for their check-out system and calendar for learning times sign-up.

Teachers use technology (Outlook) to house their calendar of events and check emails daily.

ELL teacher use technology to track their students’ progress.

Technology is used to help teachers differentiate skills with their students.

teachers for implementing technology effectively.

The lack of technology training prevents teachers from implementing innovative web tools into their lessons.

Very few teachers use technology to reach higher LoTi levels within their lessons.

with technology.

During monthly staff meetings, TTIS and teachers are encouraged to model effective researched based practices to the staff.

Summary of Results/Conclusions:It is evident through the strengths; technology is important in student learning at Addison Elementary. The administrators are open to their teachers trying new innovative pedagogy to benefit the student learning experience. As you walk down the halls of Addison you will pass by most classrooms where teachers are not willing to move from their traditional ways of teaching. They are hesitant and not motivated to experiment with using technology in their lessons due to the lack of training and resources. Although, in a few classrooms, teachers are providing a rich student-centered learning environment immersed with technology and lesson that are high LoTi levels. The incorporation of technology with teachers’ lessons are very inconsistent at my school. We are a Leader in Me school and peer coaching is highly encouraged. During and after the school day, opportunities are provided for teachers to engage in trainings from their peers or with our TTIS (Denise Hazlett) on effectively using educational Web 2.0 tools. Unfortunately, attendance is low to none. Teachers mention they feel overwhelmed with time constraints of teaching all the Common Core Standards in the school year and having to learn new methodology. Their interest for change is minimal.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The passive traditional methods for teaching are broken. Those methodologies no longer work with our twenty-first century learners. According to the ISTE standard one for teachers (2017), “Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning.” It’s our job as


teachers to keep current with changes and increase of technology use with our students. Today’s students have been using mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones to learn and play since they were toddlers. Teachers need to experiment with new innovative ways to capture the interest of their students and promote a more authentic learning experience. When technology is integrating into the classroom a whole new world is introduced and the teacher becomes the facilitator (Sheninger, 2014). It is demonstrated through the ISTE diagnostic tool, student-centered learning at Addison Elementary is in the beginning stage. With this discovery, we need to begin our change with the teacher’s pedagogy. Teachers need to be provided the professional development of educational Web 2.0 tools and given ample time to integrate them into their teaching strategies. This training can be provided from skilled peers during grade-level meetings, and further collaboration for understanding can be shared throughout the implementation process. This may help decrease the teacher’s stress of having more meetings and the demand for change. It will be a slow process, although one that will greatly benefit both the teacher and the students. Administrators can monitor this progress through the documentation of the teacher’s technology in their lesson plans.Data Sources:Addison School Improvement Plan. (2017). Retrieved October, 28, 2017 from http://www.cobbk12.org/addison/strategicplan.aspx Google Doc Survey Responses (See Appendix B)ISTE Standards for teachers. (2017). ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool (See Appendix A for results) Sheninger, E., & Zhao, Y. (2014). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A SAGE Company.

ESSENTIAL CONDITION TWO: Shared Vision

ISTE Definition: Proactive leadership in developing a shared vision for educational technology among school personnel, students, parents, and the community. Guiding Questions:

Is there an official vision for technology use in the district/school? Is it aligned to research-best practices? Is it aligned to state and national visions? Are teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members aware of the vision?

To what extent do teachers, administrators, parents, students, and other community members have a vision for how technology can be used to enhance student learning? What do they believe about technology and what types of technology uses we should encourage in the future? Are their visions similar or different? To what extent are their beliefs about these ideal, preferred technology uses in the future aligned to research and best practice?

To what extent do educators view technology as critical for improving student achievement of the GPS/CCSs? To preparing tomorrow’s workforce? For motivating digital-age learners?

http://www.cobbk12.org/addison/strategicplan.aspx


What strategies have been deployed to date to create a research-based shared vision? What needs to be done to achieve broad-scale adoption of a research-based vision for technology use that is likely to lead to

improved student achievement? Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

The technology plans are brought to us through the district.

Technology is required through summative assessments and encouraged through formative assessments. The data collected drives classroom instruction.

Administration is open to teachers input on developing new policies for the improvement of the school.

Technology is valued through the county. The district has provided O365 to all Cobb County students for free.

Stakeholders value the importance of technology use in the classroom. Two iPads will be provided through the school’s foundation money for the teachers to use in their classrooms.

The county has improved the internet connectivity and

There is no official school technology vision.

Administrators and teachers are not aware of the need for a technology vision.

A majority of the teachers are not aware of technology standards.

All stakeholders are not involved in creating a vision for our school.

Teachers do not view technology as critical for improving student achievement.

Addison has amazing support from the parents and stakeholders. They would support a technology vision.

Beside the time constraints, teachers are open to student engagement with technology and creating a shared vision to implement gradually.

Beginning this year, we are starting a technology synergy team. Administration supports the decision to promote technology usage with the teachers.

With the importance of increasing our school’s CCRPI, teachers use strategies they are comfortable with to increase student test scores.

It is vital to have ALL teachers committed to following through with a shared technology vision.


services throughout the building.Summary of Results/Conclusions:We currently do not have a shared vision for technology, we follow the School Improvement Plan (SIP) revised at the beginning of the school year. The SIP references the computer usage to collecting data through assessments and to reinforce basic math and reading skills. A problem noted in our SIP, the educational use for technology is mainly as a learning outcome. Just this past year, we revised our vision statement for the school. The administration encouraged the teachers and students to collaborate with the develop of the new school’s vision statement. The only requirement administration requested was to weave a leadership philosophy into the statement, otherwise they took a back seat and allowed the stakeholders to be active with this vision. In the outcome, the vision statement was a developed through a consensus decision amongst all the stakeholders. The administration is open to changes regarding technology at Addison. They know the importance of having all stakeholders on board for the shared vision to be a success. It is well demonstrated; Addison teachers work well together to make improvements for the school. As shown in my survey, teachers are not aware there are ISTE standards for teachers and students to help guide them with technology usage in their classroom. Their lack of knowledge is the main obstacle preventing them from perusing a shared vision for technology. Addison has the potential to be the change students need to succeed in a technology driven world, but they must work together and commit to the changes.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: A misconception many teachers have is the way technology is implemented in the classroom. Technology should be used as a tool to engage students in a deeper learning experience not as a learning outcome (Sheninger & Zhao, 2014). When I furthered interviewed teachers with the responses they gave to my survey, a few mentioned there are already many resources available to help our students master the standards, that do not require additional training time. Unfortunately, many of them were referring to the new trade books the county purchased with the ELA budget, not the school’s budget set aside for downloading apps on the iPads. Books are great, although students need to be provided with a variety of technology resources, that can help students strengthen the 4C’s: collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity (Harris, 2016). Technology allows students to connect with others outside the mortar and four walls of the school. Teacher are right, there are many resources available for them to use in their classrooms that do not require additional training. Until technology is included in our SIP and teachers are trained on the most effective ways to use it, many teachers will avoid it or not use technology effectively. I also recommend implementing professional development for the teachers. The trainings should be focused on the current technologies available, and how to use them effectively to increase student-centered learning.

Data Sources:Addison School Improvement Plan. (2017). Retrieved October, 28, 2017 from http://www.cobbk12.org/addison/strategicplan.aspx Google Doc Survey Responses (See Appendix B)Harris, C.J. (2016). The effective integration of technology into schools’ curriculum. Distance Learning, (2), 27.Sheninger, E., & Zhao, Y. (2014). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A SAGE Company.

http://www.cobbk12.org/addison/strategicplan.aspx


ESSENTIAL CONDITION THREE: Planning for Technology

ISTE Definition: A systematic plan aligned with a shared vision for school effectiveness and student learning through the infusion of ICT and digital learning resources. Guiding Questions:

Is there an adequate plan to guide technology use in your school? (either at the district or school level? Integrated into SIP?)

What should be done to strengthen planning? In what ways does your school address the needs of diverse populations in the school or district to include how race,

gender, socio-economic, and geographic diversity giving consideration to how these factors commonly affect K-12 students’ access to school and beyond-school access to high-speed Internet, modern computing devices, software, knowledgeable technology mentors, culturally-relevant digital content, and other affordances critical to technology literacy acquisition.

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities ThreatsThe computer lab is a “Prescription Lab” for students in the morning who do not have access to technology resources at home.

The teachers are flexible with their lunch times and allow students to complete work in their classroom on the computer.

The school has a plan for sharing the laptops and iPads with all grade levels during the week.

We use the BYOD program at our school.

There is no plan to guide technology at my school.

There is no official plan to assist diverse populations without digital devices and/or access to internet at home.

The county technology plan has not been shared or implemented in my school.

The BYOD program is not effectively promoted, causing very few students to use it.

Administration is open to teachers request of specific technology tools, if they will benefit students’ learning.

We have a TTIS in our building once a week.

Four teachers are very knowledgeable with technology and eager to train others.

The community is very involved at Addison.

The new Learning Commons specialist has a vast knowledge for integrating technology into

Teachers are not aware of the ISTE standards for teachers and students.

Teacher are hesitant to change due to time restraints and the feeling of being overwhelmed.


the classrooms.

Summary of Results/Conclusions:According to the diagnostic tool, the technology planning for my school is in the beginning stage. Our district has a three-year technology plan, although it’s not conveyed to the elementary schools. The “Prescription Lab” is only used by the fifth-grade teachers as needed. They are also the only team compromising their lunch times to assist students in the class with extended time on the computer. Having over 600 students in our school and each grade level shares five iPads, makes it impossible for all students to have access to a device. Many of the laptops in traveling carts are not working and waiting to be repaired. Teachers express their frustrations for the lack of electronic devices and the valuable time spent trouble shooting broken computers. In regards to the BYOD, there are very few fifth-grade students who bring their devices to school. Last year, an incident was reported of a stolen mini iPad and as a result students refrain from bringing their devices. There are four teachers active in the Instructional Technology degree and are very eager to share their technology skills with the staff. They have been pushing administration to have a technology committee to address the needs for a technology plan. Administration is supportive of our ideas and the committee will begin immediately after the December break. Our school is very weak in the technology planning stage, although the involvement of the stakeholders outweighs the obstacles to prevent us from moving toward a technical savvy school. We just need the commitment from all teachers to make the technology plan a success.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: The technology plan should be a priority for our school. We have the cohesiveness of the stakeholders when it comes to decision making and this is a positive way to begin the development for a new technology plan. If the technology plan was integrated into our School Improvement Plan (SIP), it would be a nonnegotiable standard, and must come into fruition. There would be one teacher from each grade level on the technology planning committee. These teachers would be skilled in technology and willing to train their grade level peers. This committee would meet the same time as the other synergy teams in the building meet. As the team decides on the digital tools and programs needed to, they will receive the approval of all stakeholders and begin training their peers. We would start off slowly and follow a non-aggressive time line. Administration would provide teachers time to train, collaborate with their colleagues, apply their understanding to their lessons, and implement the new strategy into their classroom. The time and collaboration they are dedicating to implementing the new plan can lead to developing an authentic learning experience that leverage technology for their students (ISTE, 2017). Data Sources:ISTE Standards for teachers. (2017). ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool (See Appendix A for results)

ESSENTIAL CONDITION FOUR: Equitable Access (Specifically Low SES and gender groups)


ISTE Definition: Robust and reliable access to current and emerging technologies and digital resources.Guiding Questions:

To what extent do students, teachers, administrators, and parents have access to computers and digital resources necessary to support engaging, standards-based, student-centered learning?

To what extent is technology arrange/distributed to maximize access for engaging, standards-based, student-centered learning?

What tools are needed and why? To what extent are strategies needed to address equity issues among Low SES and gender groups? What are examples of

strategies that would benefit your school/district? (required) Do students/parents/community need/have beyond school access to support the shared vision for learning?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities ThreatsEach classroom has two-three desktop computers and two iPads.

Every classroom has a working Promethean board.

Our school web page provides many web-based programs for students to access at home with a password.

Students can bring devices to school through the BYOD program.

Our school shares two carts of laptops (about 20 functional laptops in each).

Each homeroom classroom has 3 desktop computers.

Each grade level shares 5 iPads.

ELL and EIP student with concerns in diversity, social economics, or different learning abilities are not actively using technology.

Laptop carts are not properly maintained and repairs are not completed within enough time.

Computer Lab is often empty.

The county firewall blocks too many needed websites.

The Wi-Fi access for BYOD is not reliable.

There is not a set plan that exist for students without access to the internet or electronic devices at home.

Apps cannot be installed on the iPads without the TTIS

The county promotes BYOD and most of our students have personal devices they can bring to school.

The Learning Common’s (once known as the Library) teacher is often developing lessons integrating technology for all the Addison’s students.

Students have opportunities to use the Learning Commons desktops or the “Prescription Lab” before school begins.

Each Cobb County student, parent, and teacher has access to Microsoft Office 365 for free.

Through O365, students can collaborate on classroom projects. Teachers can provide immediate feedback on publish

Students do not have an account on Office 365 due to lack of parent approval.

There are minimal funds for new technology and laptops.

Teachers who hesitant to use technology, often do not use it for an engaging and authentic learning experience.

Parents do not take the time to sign-up for the Synergy account to access their child’s grades.


Most students have internet access and devices at home.

The Learning Commons have 20 desktops for teachers to reserve

ESOL students have access to computerized software to help them learn the English Language

EIP students have access to the Read 180 software

Special Education students have assistive technology based on their needs

4th & 5th Grade parents have access to their student’s grades through Synergy

There is a TTIS at our school available for technology training.

Students without access to the internet or device at home are provided extra technology time on the computers during lunch and early mornings.

Students without internet access or devices at home are

personally installing.

A laptop cart cannot be checkout more than two consecutive days in a week by a teacher.

There are not enough technology devices in the school for all the students to use on a consistent basis.

There is not a single place to hold the two laptop carts and the iPad cart. They are each in a different location in the building.

work samples.

TTIS, Learning Common’s specialist, and trained homeroom teachers have technology skill to coach other teachers and can develop reasonable solutions to equitable access.


provided with an alternate assignment

Summary of Results/Conclusions:The ISTE diagnostic tool shows Addison meets with the equitable access section. Having over 600 students, Addison does its best sharing the technology resources of a computer lab with 20 desktops, two laptop carts housing 20 laptops, three desktop computers in each homeroom, five iPads to share amongst the grade-level, and our learning commons with 25 desktops. Addison has a good amount of technology resources available, but unfortunately it is not always reliable. Teachers are frustrated when their students are using the laptops and they are not working proper. As a result, teachers spend more time troubleshooting and less time navigating through their technology lessons. Because of this, teachers are not very motivated to integrate technology use with their students. The upper elementary grades are more skilled with technology than the lower grades. These four teachers are the only ones promoting BYOD in our building. BYOD is a program our county promotes to encourage the 1:1 technology. The problems teachers face with BYOD, are many of the student’s devices cannot connect to the Wi-Fi or stay connected. When they lose their connection, it takes a long time for them to reconnect. These teachers will adjust their schedules and allow students to use their classroom desktops during lunch and before school. The new Learning Commons has a wide range of technology resources and the teacher is often creating lessons involving technology usage. Homeroom teachers can sign-up on line to have their students engage in these lessons. There are about five staff members who are working on an ITECH degree or already have one. They are very willing to train the staff with technology skills, including simple trouble shooting techniques, to promote the usage of technology in their classrooms. With these technical skilled teachers, we can develop a technology plan to address the needs for more digital devices and new innovative technology needed at Addison. When it comes to the support staff, it seems only teachers who are passionate about technology are the ones using technology with their students. Our ELL and Special Education students have a variety of assistive technology available, although the teachers do not often use them. According to my survey results, only 50% of the participants agree the county provides them with the proper technology to assist with their disabled learners. The diversity is not addressed with digital equity. It would be beneficial for teachers to make better use for technology instead of a simple research tool or for typing writing samples on a word document. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: Addison has a variety of technical devices, desktop and laptop computers and iPads, but it does not have enough to ensure each student has access to a digital device. The BYOD program is helpful, although the Wi-Fi is not dependable. This doesn’t seem to be just a problem at my school, conversing with fellow teachers in other buildings are experiencing the same issues. According to the National Technology Plan (2017), “Reliable connectivity, like water and electricity, is foundational to creating an effective learning environment. Students and teachers cannot take advantage of the opportunities to connect and engage globally or leverage high-quality learning resources without consistent and reliable access to the Internet.” The county needs to address this issue of inadequate connectivity, so it will help make all our devices readily available. Through my analysis I have discovered our needs for new innovative technology overwhelm the resources. This also need to be addressed by the county or by local businesses. Reaching


out to our stakeholders for technology funding can be a win-win situation. Teachers are the keys to developing a more authentic learning experience for their students. They can design highly engaging and relevant learning experiences through technology. Because of this, teachers need to be advocates for equitable access to educational technology, and meet the diverse learning needs (ISTE. 2017)Data Sources:ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool (See Appendix A for results)ISTE Standards for teachers. (2017).National Technology Plan (2017). National Education Technology Plan. Retrieved November 3, 2017 from: https://tech.ed.gov/netp/teaching/

ESSENTIAL CONDITION FIVE: Skilled Personnel

ISTE Definition: Educators and support staff skilled in the use of ICT appropriate for their job responsibilities. Guiding Questions:

To what extent are educators and support staff skilled in the use of technology appropriate for their job responsibilities? What do they currently know and are able to do? What are knowledge and skills do they need to acquire?

(Note: No need to discuss professional learning here. Discuss knowledge and skills. This is your needs assessment for professional learning. The essential conditions focus on “personnel,” which includes administrators, staff, technology specialists, and teachers. However, in this limited project, you may be wise to focus primarily or even solely on teachers; although you may choose to address the proficiency of other educators/staff IF the need is critical. You must include an assessment of teacher proficiencies.)

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities ThreatsTeachers know who to turn to for technology advise.

Teachers would like to use the technology as an engaging learning experience.

Teachers use some sort of technology daily.

Teachers do not know how to use technology as an authentic or relevant learning experience.

The administrators do not place emphasis on technology for the teachers’ TKES evaluations.

Skilled teachers, TTIC, and Learning Commons specialist are willing to teach peer teachers how to authentically use technology in their classrooms.

These skilled staff members can develop a technology plan for Addison to train and

Teachers are apprehensive to trying out new technology. Instead they prefer to be told how it is used and are encouraged to use it from administration.

Time deters teachers to explore innovative ways of teaching digital content.

https://tech.ed.gov/netp/teaching/


A few teachers are eager to learn new technology skills.

advocate for educational technology.

BYOD can be widely promoted with all grade level teachers.

Summary of Results/Conclusions:According to the ISTE diagnostic tool we are at the beginning stage for skilled personal. A majority of the teachers at Addison do not use technology in their lessons. Unless they are requested by administration, they will not make it a priority to place technology into their plans. Some teachers have mentioned they are open to learning new web 2.0 tools if it accompanies a standard and they have specific directions HOW it is used. The staff is not very skilled with troubleshooting and this seems to be a roadblock they cannot work through. There are a handful of teachers willing to train their peers with educational technology, although administration does not encourage this. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: We have enough digital leaders at Addison who can positively impact the non-skilled personnel’s knowledge. Relying on the one TTIS person appointed to our school to make the necessary technology changes needed is not realistic. These technology leaders must be the pillars for a positive change in our school (Sheninger & Zhao, 2014). Encouraging the trained technology leaders to share their wisdom and knowledge with other stakeholders in our school can be the difference we need promote educational technology (ISTE, 2017). This could turn into a technology peer mentor program which can help with the development of a shared technology vision for our school. Data Sources:Google Doc Survey Responses (See Appendix B)ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool (See Appendix A for results)ISTE Standards for teachers. (2017).Sheninger, E., & Zhao, Y. (2014). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A SAGE Company.

ESSENTIAL CONDITION SIX: Ongoing Professional Learning

ISTE Definition: Technology-related professional learning plans and opportunities with dedicated time to practice and share ideas. Guiding Questions:

What professional learning opportunities are available to educators? Are they well-attended? Why or why not?


Are the current professional learning opportunities matched to the knowledge and skills educators need to acquire? (see Skilled Personnel)

Do professional learning opportunities reflect the national standards for professional learning (NSDC/Learning Forward)? Do educators have both formal and informal opportunities to learn? Is technology-related professional learning integrated into all professional learning opportunities or isolated as a separate

topic? How must professional learning improve/change in order to achieve the shared vision?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities ThreatsAddison is a “Leader in Me School” and a few teachers each year are sent for PD on leadership guidelines, then share their discoveries with the staff at the next scheduled meeting.

Administration supports the teachers desire to attend extra PD workshops to better their teaching strategies. Substitutes are provided and time to implement the new strategies are encouraged.

The county requires PD for all county teachers two times a semester.

Our TTIS will lead the PD each semester on the procedures for using touchstones. And iRespond remotes in the classroom. This is usually required for all staff to attend.

The two required professional development days from the county offers general workshops they feel will be beneficial to the teachers. Attendance is mandatory.

This county required PD is not differentiated amongst the schools needs and wants.

There is no technology driven workshops offered for staff members in my school through the county. The high school does have one class offered this Fall.

The staff training on iRespond and touchstone is repetitive and should be offered as a needs basis.

Just like there is no technology plan, there is no specific plan for PD that teachers are aware of.

Teachers skilled with technology are willing to conduct PD workshops for their staff.

As of this semester, we can access PD classes through Skype with the county.

Our new technology team starting in January can develop a PD plan for the following year based on the teacher’s needs.

Time restraints the teacher are feeling when experimenting with a new strategy.

The school’s culture has a low morale due to teachers being required to attend PD that is not beneficial.

Teacher’s motivation is low trying new PD strategies.


Summary of Results/Conclusions:According to the diagnostic tool, Addison is in the approaching category for ongoing professional development. My survey results showed 75% of the participants feel the need for professional development to be about technology integration. Administration supports the teachers wanted to attend professional development classes outside of the building, although they have not mandated a technology professional development workshop to take place in the building. Our TTIS is available one day a week for technology support. She has emailed the staff several times to assist with educational technology strategies, though the replies have been very low. The county has begun using Skype to reach out to teachers with educational technology. The last Skype session covered internet safety for students. This is a great way to provide training without teachers having to leave the building or even their classrooms. Unfortunately, attendance was low. I reached out to several staff members inquiring about their interest with the Skype sessions. A majority of them replied with not having enough time in a day to integrate the new strategies they are learning through Skype. One even shared, there is not enough time for a teacher to fail when she knows she can succeed with her usual habits. It seems to boil down to teachers are not comfortable with their own knowledge of using educational technology with their students.Recommendations from Gap Analysis: As shared by Sheninger & Zhao (2014), professional development workshops are only one mode for continuous learning. Research has shown, continuous learning can develop a successful growth in the school culture leading to positive changes in the teacher’s strategies. The county offers generic professional development courses, although many of them are not conducive to the trainings we need in Addison’s classroom. The trainings should be focused on each school’s needs and wants, not the general public. For teachers to create the next generation of scientists, engineers, politicians, and entrepreneurs, they need to be current with technology enriched tools (Sheninger & Zhao, 2014). The professional development classes need to integrate new innovative educational technology, and presented in an engaging way that encourages teachers to use it in their classrooms. Professional development does not just have to be done through the county, it can be accomplished through the local school. Our technology skilled teachers can lead workshops and share their knowledge with their peers. ISTE (2017) also supports teachers collaborating with their colleagues to create authentic learning experiences that leverage technology. This kind of professional development will need to be supported and encouraged through administration, otherwise attendance may be low. Continuous learning depends on the development of many leaders, which is what Addison has, and this is a step in the right direction for a technology change.After further analyzing this essential condition, the National Technology Plan (2017) has a great recommendation for professional development. It suggests for teachers to create their own professional development plan for each month, and having the skilled professionals share their pedagogy for technology use in the classroom. Addison has the personnel for this and the motivation to make this work. Data Sources:Google Doc Survey Responses (See Appendix B)ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool (See Appendix A for results)ISTE Standards for teachers. (2017).National Technology Plan (2017). National Education Technology Plan. Retrieved November 3, 2017 from: https://tech.ed.gov/netp/teaching/

https://tech.ed.gov/netp/teaching/


Sheninger, E., & Zhao, Y. (2014). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A SAGE Company.

ESSENTIAL CONDITION SEVEN: Technical Support

ISTE Definition: Consistent and reliable assistance for maintaining, renewing, and using ICT and digital resources. Guiding Questions:

To what extent is available equipment operable and reliable for instruction? Is there tech assistance available for technical issues when they arise? How responsive is tech support? Are current “down

time” averages acceptable? Is tech support knowledgeable? What training might they need? In addition to break/fix issues, are support staff available to help with instructional issues when teachers try to use

technology in the classroom? Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

Each classroom has two-three desktop computers and two iPads.

Every classroom has an operable Promethean board.

Students can bring devices to school through the BYOD program.

Our school shares two carts of laptops (about 20 operable laptops in each).

Each homeroom classroom has 3 desktop computers.

Each grade level shares 5

Once a week for 45 minutes in the computer lab per class in not a sufficient amount of time.

Technology support is on a needs basis. It is not readily available.

Several days to a week may pass before technology work orders are addressed.

iPads have the FREE versions downloaded and it doesn’t take long for students to succeed with the limitations of the Free version.

Our Learning Commons teacher has an ITECH certification and is willing to train the staff with educational technology with project based learning experiences.

We have enough technology skilled staff members to form a technology committee.

This technology committee can train the staff with basic trouble shooting strategies and support instructional issues with technology.

Teachers are not comfortable using technology without the support of a trained tech personnel.

There are currently no technology plans at Addison.

We lack the funds to purchase new technology and it’s not reliable with the internet errors.


iPads.

Two iPads in each homeroom classroom.

The Learning Commons have 20 desktops for teachers to reserve

Class sizes exceed the amounts of laptops in each cart, which doesn’t allow all students to have access to technology at the same time.

Summary of Results/Conclusions:Addison has the technology resources just not the technology skilled teachers. Last school year, we had a TTIS housed in our school four days a week. The teachers we utilizing her skills and knowledge to teach their students new Web 2.0 tools. Teachers were willing to try new technology when she was present in their classrooms. Laptops and iPads were in great demand. This year our TTIS (Denise) is only at our school once every other week and when she is present her time is dedicated to administration issues. The motivation for teachers to use technology has greatly decreased without her presence. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: It would be very beneficial to have a TTIS person permanently at our school all week, but with the county budget I cannot see this coming into fruition. At the previous school, I worked at, we had a specific specialist teacher known as the technology specialist who met with classes once a week and guided them the new innovative technologies available. She collaborated with the teachers and their lesson plans. Her lessons enhanced the standards being taught in the homeroom. She was also available every day for the teachers to provide suggestions for technology use with the academic content. Her salary came from a fulltime para-professional budget. She was an excellent resource not just for the students but also for the teachers. The county decided to place emphasis on math so the technology class was closed and a math lab was opened. This was very disappointing. With the county’s suggestions for school’s budget constantly changing, having a technology class at Addison will be very beneficial. According to the diagnostic tool, we are in the approaching stage for technical support. We can improve this essential condition with the support of skilled staff members in the school. The technology committee can lead the efforts for having trouble shooting personnel and teachers willing lead technology workshops. Having the staff embrace this change can increase the technical pedagogy in all classrooms (Sheninger & Zhao, (2014).My goal is for teachers to feel comfortable using technology in their classrooms knowing there is a master ITECH teacher next door to assist them. Data Sources:Google Doc Survey Responses (See Appendix B)ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool (See Appendix A for results)Sheninger, E., & Zhao, Y. (2014). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A SAGE Company.


ESSENTIAL CONDITION EIGHT: Curriculum Framework

ISTE Definition: Content standards and related digital curriculum resources.Guiding Questions:

To what extent are educators, students, and parents aware of student technology standards? (ISTE Standards for Students) Are technology standards aligned to content standards to help teachers integrate technology skills into day-to-day

instruction and not teach technology as a separate subject? To what extent are there digital curriculum resources available to teachers so that they can integrate technology into the

GPS/CCS as appropriate? How is student technology literacy assessed?

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities ThreatsThe county’s technology department ensures technology is working like it should.

Our county’s support tech (assigned to Addison) is very knowledgeable with the necessary repairs.

The technology standards are aligned to content standards and some teachers are implementing them.

Teachers have digital resources available through the county’s website.

Our TTIS is available once a week (administrative purposes).

All teacher laptops have been

Technology work orders are not corrected quickly.

Desktops in the classroom have not been upgraded to Windows 10.

Teachers lack the skills to integrate some of the digital resources available to them.

Teachers lack the training for integrating technology authentically.

Though an Addison Technology Team, all stakeholders will become aware of ISTE standards for students.

There will be one common place to house the technology resources available for the teachers.

Time is a factor that deter the teachers.

Teachers are not motivated to take on more responsibility with the additional ISTE standards.


upgraded to Windows 10.

All classrooms are being upgraded with an access pointSummary of Results/Conclusions:According to the diagnostic tool the curriculum framework is in the beginning stage with Addison. The survey’s results show the ITEC teachers at my school are the only professionals familiar with the ISTE standards. I reached out to other teachers who did not reply to my survey and they too were not familiar with the ISTE standards. There are many digital curriculum resources available on the internet, especially through the county, although many teachers do not access them. Currently, there is no plan how technology literacy is assessed in our school. We have a variety of curriculum resources available to teachers, but they lack the training to utilize it to the authentically. Recommendations from Gap Analysis: It is recommended for teachers and students to be fully aware of the ISTE standards. Teachers should also be aware of all the digital curriculum resources available to them and HOW to integrate it with the standards effectively. The proposed technology committee can help ensure this essential condition is promoted and integrated effectively with a teacher’s day-to-day instruction. Through training teachers will have the skill and knowledge how to teach technology within the content and not as a separate subject (ISTE, 2017).Data Sources:ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool (See Appendix A for results)ISTE Standards for teachers. (2017).


References

ISTE. (2017). Essential Conditions. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions ISTE Lead and Transform Diagnostic Tool. (2008). ISTE.org. Retrieved 8 July 2017, from https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-

resources/lead-transform/diagnostic-tool/results

Harris, C.J. (2016). The effective integration of technology into schools’ curriculum. Distance Learning, (2), 27.

National Technology Plan (2017). National Education Technology Plan. Retrieved November 3, 2017 from: https://tech.ed.gov/netp/teaching/

Sheninger, E., & Zhao, Y. (2014). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A

SAGE Company.

https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/lead-transform/diagnostic-tool/results

https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/lead-transform/diagnostic-tool/results

https://www.iste.org/standards/tools-resources/essential-conditions


Appendices

Appendix A:

Appendix B: SurveyResults

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5IMDFxQx2jtNlp6bldxckx5RlU/view

https://goo.gl/forms/Qy8VfX4PzCMDSpqo1

ESSENTIAL CONDITION ONE: ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGYsherreenbahr.weebly.com/.../6/1/95611990/bahr._sherreen_swot_anal… · Web viewITEC 7410/EDL 7105 SWOT Analysis Template for Technology

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